Rule on Checked Swing and are the NFHS and the CIA related?

Hello Everybody.

I just found this site and made a post on another thread about a rules question. I had a couple of rules questions myself that I was hoping some other members could help clarify.

First, my daughter plays in a 12U fast pitch rec. league that follows NFHS rules with exceptions specific to age groups. She played 10U and 8U in the same league and I have been spectator, asst. coach and head coach at various times. My first question relates to called strikes on checked swings. Twice in a game last week the home plate umpire looked to the field umpire to make the call. This is our first year in 12U and 10U has no field umpire, just the plate umpire. Is this appropriate. I'm an old baseball guy and I always thought that this was the home plate umps call UNLESS the opposing team asked the home plate umpire to check the call with the field umpire. In both case, the homplate ump was not prompted by anyone to seek the advice of the field ump but did so on their own resulting in strike calls in both instances.

My second question regarding a specific rule is with regard to runners leaving early. Is it always the responsibility of the umpire to call a player out if they leave early (illegal lead) or is this an appealable play? In other words, if we think we see a player leave a base before the ball leaves the pitchers hand and the ball is hit fairly, are we wasting our time to appeal this play before pitching to the next batter?

Lastly, I had a general question about the NFHS. Why are they so secretive? Do they think they are part of the CIA? I can access the complete NCAA rules to any sport that they particpate in at no charge. At the other thread that I visited earlier that had questions regarding rules several members posted responses that cited ASA rules. Nobody seems to have access to NFHS rules. I know that they are available for purchase but shouldn't a rec league that has over 1000 players make at least one copy available to coaches? What gives?

 

First, congrats on finding TBR.

Check swings: There is nothing that says a plate umpire can ask a field umpire for help, but it is ore proper for the plate umpire, if he is unsure if it was a swing, to err on the side of the batter and call the pitch a ball. It is then up to the defense to appeal the call. Once the plate umpire calls a check swing a strike, it is not appealable.

Leaving base early is not an appealable play. From the NFHS rulebook:

NFHS. They are not secretive, just protective of their trademarks and publications. ​

You can become a Web Member for $20 per year. It allows you to access and download pdf versions of any sports rules. It will not allow you to print the document, even after downloading it to your own computer, but you can cut and paste all you want.​

 

I agree with what Stingray has said, to elucidate:

If the plate umpire sees a strike, it's a strike. If unsure if the batter offered, he may go to his parter immediately, or he may wait to be asked to go to his partner. In NFHS he doesn't have to go even if asked, in NCAA he must go if asked, I believe.

On leaving early, it is an immediate dead ball as soon as the umpire sees the foot off the bag. Whether or not the defense sees it and "tries to appeal" makes no difference, because if the umpire saw it he should have called it and if he didn't see it, he can't call it.

ASA is the same way about their rule books. It's one of the ways they make money to defray costs. However, you may purchase printed manuals directly from NFHS online, and I've seen them in local sporting goods stores.

 

And something I didn't know until recently about the application of NFHS rules by the SCHSL:

Down south of the border, there are no appeal plays: the umpire is supposed to call any appealable offense without waiting for appeal.

Wiped out a run and pretty much killed a rally when the runner on first base missed second on a grand slam a few weeks back. Don't think the defense saw it, but the umpire did and called it as soon as the batter crossed home.

 

Never understood the reason some violations require an appeal... Do you have any idea on the logic behind that?